Details
Two storey house, formerly a farmhouse, Bulls Hall was constructed between 1530 and 1580, altered and sub-divided in C19 and C20, and restored early C21. Timber framed with external render, steeply pitched pantile-covered, gable roof, off-centre axial ridge stack. 7 bay, three cell cross passage plan, high end to the right (East), service end to the left (West). Detached two storey building to West with pantile covered gable roof, linked to the Hall by a single storey C20 extension. Façade faces south, single storey extension with remodelled roof built in 1924 to left, service chamber mullion window above. C21 glazed, timber porch leads to front cross passage door in C16 frame. Separate entrance door directly into parlour to right with C16 four-centred arched door frame and C21 battened door. Ground floor hall and parlour windows reinstated, c.100mm diamond mullions. First floor mullion windows exposed in service chamber and parlour stairs, but all other windows are C20 casements in unaltered openings. The East elevation is jettied on curved brackets with exposed pentice board, plates and purlins and C20 casement windows in unaltered openings at ground and first floor. North elevation faces the garden with fully reinstated mullion windows on ground and first floors. The rear cross-passage door is to the right of centre and has a C16 restored frame and C21 door. The West elevation has a mullion window at first floor and the C20 link at ground floor.
INTERIOR:
Very close studded framing of substantial scantling throughout. C16 ground floor plan restored, comprising off-centre cross passage with hall and parlour to the right and service chambers to the left. C21 right-hand cross passage screen. Two service doorways, four-centred arched door frames leading into the former buttery and pantry. Intact C16 service stairs. Four-centred arched opening to hall, latter lit by large 6 and 7-light mullion windows to the front and 6 and 3-light mullions to the rear. Stop-chamfered axial bridging beams and mid rails, storey posts and joists. Large inglenook fireplace with very large bressumer at right end of hall. Four-centred arched door frame to the parlour, which also has very large window openings, jowled storey posts and stop-chamfered axial bridging beams. External parlour door has been reinstated in the C16 frame. Inglenook fireplace with rebate in the brickwork possibly for bench. Parlour stairs to the first floor remodelled in the C18 and C19. First floor form little altered, but a C19 partition has been inserted into the hall chamber to form a bathroom and service chambers lightly reworked. All of the door frames and most of the skirting are C16. The wall and cross frames have reverse curved arched braces halved over studding, with C16 large window openings throughout. The pantry stair window has 5 restored leaded lights with C14 glass. Jowled posts, with chamfered arched braces to cambered tie beams, cranked in open trusses and reverse cranked in closed trusses. The roof truss comprises queen struts with collars clasping purlins with halved principals and windbraces.
Detached building to West has a C17 frame with stop-chamfered and roll moulded bridging beams on the ground floor and close studding throughout, arched braces and a clasped purlin roof.Possible kitchen.
HISTORY.
The building was known as Bulls Hall from the C14 after William de Bulle who was given the manor by the King. The present house was probably constructed in the period 1530 to 1580 as a farmhouse. Some C17 documents give an inventory of the building and provide a valuable insight into the function of the farm, when it was owned by the Buxton In the C18, the Hall was remodelled into a lobby entrance plan farmhouse, the hall was subdivided, a new front door inserted in front of the chimney and the Parlour door infilled. The early C21 renovation restored the C16 form and revealed many unusual features.
SUMMARY OF IMPORTANCE.
Bulls Hall is a fine example of a substantially complete C16 timber-framed former farmhouse with C18 alterations. The early C21 refurbishment removed a number of C19 and C20 modifications and exposed many C16 features including solid treader oak stairs, leaded lights with C14 glass, inglenook fireplaces and a rare, separate ground floor parlour door. The detached building to the West is C17, and possibly served as a kitchen. The retention of the C16 form in the Hall and survival of good quality framing throughout is unusual and combined with the documentary evidence about the building, assigns Bulls Hall very special architectural and historic interest.
Sources.
Suffolk Historic Buildings Group, Newsletters June 2000 and summer 2002.
Suffolk Archaeology, vol XVI, 1916, pt..
Listing NGR: TM1172173067
